Donor fatigue in a time of uncertainty
Thank you Star Tribune editorial board for your thoughtful piece “Weary or not, don’t give up on giving.” Star Tribune, 29 Sept. 2020, p.A6. Minnesotans are a generous bunch and we at Gilda’s Club Minnesota have benefited from the surge in giving immediately following the pandemic shutdown in March. That support has continued into fall, but now – as we begin to forecast for 2021 – we are concerned about donor fatigue.
In this the strangest of years, every month has had a barrage of virtual fundraising events, online campaigns, and direct mail appeals. Nonprofits like ours keep asking even as the unemployment rate rises and uncertainty about COVID-19 and social unrest remain. Nonprofits in Minnesota have been hit disproportionately hard by staff reductions and declining revenue. Amidst all of this uncertainty, however, the need for the services that nonprofits provide continues to grow.
Minnesotans continue to be diagnosed with cancer. They need support – and not just the treatment they get from their medical teams – but also social and emotional support. The mental health toll that the events of 2020 are taking on all of us are challenging; they are compounded when you are impacted by cancer. Gilda’s Club Minnesota is here to provide that support free of charge. This is why we need your help to meet the increased demand.
“Studies show that any act of altruism – a selfless act for other – is connected to positive physical and mental effects.[1] We know you may be weary as we head into fall and winter, but we hope that the satisfaction derived from helping Gilda’s Club to ensure that no one faces cancer alone makes it just a bit easier to keep giving.
[1] Jessica Weinberger “What Giving Back Does For Your Mental Health,” talkspace.com, Dec. 3, 2019
Kind regards,
Libby
Executive Director | Gilda’s Club Minnesota
Contact Libby at Libby.Utter@gildasclubmn.org